Tempest Elf

[DracoKnight]

I'm still working on the fluff of this subrace, but the idea is that basically these elves exist in my homebrew world, living up high on the tops of mountains surrounded by near constant storms. Eventually they learned how to channel the storms' energies using their own innate magic.


Tempest Elf

You gain all of the base Elven traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the rapier, warhammer, short sword, and long bow.
Stormy Heritage. You know one cantrip of your choice from Booming Blade, Shocking Grasp, or Thunderclap. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Stormtongue. You can speak, read, and write Primordial.

Racial Feat: Tempest Magic

You learn the remaining cantrip options from the Tempest Elf racial traits. In addition, you may cast Chromatic Orb as a 2nd-level spell once per short rest using either Lightning or Thunder damage, or once per day using any other damage type using this feat. When you reach 5th level you may cast Shatter as a 3rd level spell once per long rest using this feat.

[M Placeholder]

Not sure about Thunderclap as a cantrip (I think its overpowered for one), but rest looks pretty cool.

[DracoKnight]

Not sure about Thunderclap as a cantrip (I think its overpowered for one), but rest looks pretty cool.

Thunderclap is a cantrip from the Elemental Evil Player's Companion:


EEPC

Thunderclap
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5-foot radius)
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
You create a burst of thunderous sound, which can be heard 100 feet away. Each creature other than
you within 5 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 1d6 thunder damage.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

[UrsusArctos]

This is slightly less powerful than a High Elf, as you have less choice in your cantrip and none in your language. That said, it isn't enough to make a sizeable difference.

EDIT: The feat is a bit too powerful and a bit weird. I would remove the Shatter to make it inline with Magical Initiate. Also, the first time you can get the feat is 4th level, so it seems weird to have the Shatter come in 1 level later.

[DracoKnight]

EDIT: The feat is a bit too powerful and a bit weird. I would remove the Shatter to make it inline with Magical Initiate. Also, the first time you can get the feat is 4th level, so it seems weird to have the Shatter come in 1 level later.

I balanced it off of both the Svirfneblin Magic and Drow Magic racial traits, making it a feat like Svirfneblin Magic. And it's still not as powerful as Svirfneblin Magic, which gives you a 3rd-level spell at will.

But if you think it's too OP, I will play around with it to bring it down a bit.

[JNAProductions]

Honestly, all looks okay to me.

[GandalfTheWhite]

I'm still working on the fluff of this subrace, but the idea is that basically these elves exist in my homebrew world, living up high on the tops of mountains surrounded by near constant storms. Eventually they learned how to channel the storms' energies using their own innate magic.


Tempest Elf

You gain all of the base Elven traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the rapier, warhammer, short sword, and long bow.
Stormy Heritage. You know one cantrip of your choice from Booming Blade, Shocking Grasp, or Thunderclap. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Stormtongue. You can speak, read, and write Primordial.

Racial Feat: Tempest Magic

You learn the remaining cantrip options from the Tempest Elf racial traits. In addition, you may cast Chromatic Orb as a 2nd-level spell once per short rest using either Lightning or Thunder damage, or once per day using any other damage type using this feat. When you reach 5th level you may cast Shatter as a 3rd level spell once per long rest using this feat.

Built with the Tempest Cleric in mind. . .

[DracoKnight]

Honestly, all looks okay to me.

Thank you, JNA!

[weaseldust]

You don't really have a problem with balance. I just have some nitpicks:

I don't understand the choice of rapiers and warhammers for Weapon Training. Is there a fluff reason for that? You couldn't choose two less similar weapons if you tried.

Air elementals speak Auran, which I think is a dialect of Primordial mutually comprehensible with its other dialects, but I can't remember where I get that from. In any case, I'd suggest giving them that instead of basic Primordial, but it's not a big deal.

I'm not keen on Chromatic Orb being part of the feat because it will deal less damage than a round of attacks after around level 5. Getting access to that once per day won't feel very satisfying. I'd suggest Absorb Elements instead, because it's the kind of spell where having it available even once a day can save your character's life. Or maybe Gust, because at least that can significantly alter one encounter or other challenge.

[DracoKnight]

You don't really have a problem with balance. I just have some nitpicks:

Nitpicks are welcome too :)


I don't understand the choice of rapiers and warhammers for Weapon Training. Is there a fluff reason for that? You couldn't choose two less similar weapons if you tried.

The fluff reason is that the Tempest Elves have two cultural deities. They worship the elvish Goddess of Lightning (who embodies grace and speed, wielding a rapier) and the elvish God of Thunder (who embodies strength and power, wielding a warhammer). These gods don't have names yet, I'm still building the culture.


Air elementals speak Auran, which I think is a dialect of Primordial mutually comprehensible with its other dialects, but I can't remember where I get that from. In any case, I'd suggest giving them that instead of basic Primordial, but it's not a big deal.

They had Primordial, because I couldn't remember the name for the Air dialect, and I am AFB. Thanks for reminding me of the name! :D


I'm not keen on Chromatic Orb being part of the feat because it will deal less damage than a round of attacks after around level 5. Getting access to that once per day won't feel very satisfying. I'd suggest Absorb Elements instead, because it's the kind of spell where having it available even once a day can save your character's life. Or maybe Gust, because at least that can significantly alter one encounter or other challenge.

Chromatic Orb is once per short rest if you use Lightning/Thunder damage. I thought about Absorb Elements, but I went with Chromatic Orb instead, to bring the power of the feat down a bit. (dealing damage being less powerful than mitigating damage, IMHO)

[DracoKnight]

If anyone has fluff suggestions, I'm kinda stuck beyond what I had in the OP.

[Grey Watcher]

If anyone has fluff suggestions, I'm kinda stuck beyond what I had in the OP.

Well, are you building this setting for a specific campaign you're running or to be published (even if published just means "shared with friends and interested folk on the web for free")?

If it's the former, I'd just leave it at what you've got and let the players start to fill in the details.

If it's the latter, I'll admit that I don't have much in the way of ideas, but you might start by answering questions about how these two homebrew deities of yours relate to the broader Elven pantheon (ie those worshipped by High Elves, Wood Elves, Drow, etc.). For that matter, how do these elves relate to their cousins? Are they all good friends? Do they make war upon each other? Do they settle for sneering disdainfully at each other? Do their feelings not mirror each other?

[DracoKnight]

If it's the latter, I'll admit that I don't have much in the way of ideas, but you might start by answering questions about how these two homebrew deities of yours relate to the broader Elven pantheon (ie those worshipped by High Elves, Wood Elves, Drow, etc.). For that matter, how do these elves relate to their cousins? Are they all good friends? Do they make war upon each other? Do they settle for sneering disdainfully at each other? Do their feelings not mirror each other?

Thank you. Finding a starting point for racial fluff is not my strong point :P

[upogsi]

So far as fluff, maybe seafaring/pirate elves? Their storm mages whip up tempests before their ships decens on a town?

[DracoKnight]

So far as fluff, maybe seafaring/pirate elves? Their storm mages whip up tempests before their ships decens on a town?

This is a really interesting thought :)

[Demonic Spoon]

Chromatic Orb is once per short rest if you use Lightning/Thunder damage. I thought about Absorb Elements, but I went with Chromatic Orb instead, to bring the power of the feat down a bit. (dealing damage being less powerful than mitigating damage, IMHO)

The problem with chromatic orb is that it does not scale. It's good early game, and then worthless past level 5 because the opportunity cost of blowing an action to cast it is worse than just doing a cantrip or set of attacks.

[DracoKnight]

The problem with chromatic orb is that it does not scale. It's good early game, and then worthless past level 5 because the opportunity cost of blowing an action to cast it is worse than just doing a cantrip or set of attacks.

It's still better than cantrips at level 5, which are doing 2d(?).

[Demonic Spoon]

Feats and racial features should remain relevant for the entire game in my opinion -

From levels:

1-4, the feat is strong.
5-10, the feat is pretty good if you are a wisdom-based caster and thus have a good spell attack mod, otherwise it's bad.
11+ if you're a wisdom-based caster it's not nearly enough of an improvement to be worth a feat, and bad if you aren't a wisdom-based caster
17+ it's worthless.

[DracoKnight]

Feats and racial features should remain relevant for the entire game in my opinion -

From levels:

1-4, the feat is strong.
5-10, the feat is pretty good if you are a wisdom-based caster and thus have a good spell attack mod, otherwise it's bad.
11+ if you're a wisdom-based caster it's not nearly enough of an improvement to be worth a feat, and bad if you aren't a wisdom-based caster
17+ it's worthless.

How would you improve it?

[Foxhound438]

This is slightly less powerful than a High Elf, as you have less choice in your cantrip and none in your language. That said, it isn't enough to make a sizeable difference.


i'd argue that using wis instead of int is a fair trade for less options in cantrips and languages.

This is probably the first ever homebrew that i've seen that's not broken. good job.